EFFICACY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF XYLOPIA AETHIOPICA WHOLE FRUITS ON EXPERIMENTAL ASCARIDIA GALLI INFECTION IN GUINEA FOWL KEETS (NUMIDA MELEAGRIS GALEATA PALAS)

EFFICACY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF XYLOPIA AETHIOPICA WHOLE FRUITS ON EXPERIMENTAL ASCARIDIA GALLI INFECTION IN GUINEA FOWL KEETS (NUMIDA MELEAGRIS GALEATA PALAS), A RESEARCH PROJECT TOPIC ON MICROBIOLOGY

ABSTRACT

The major control strategy adopted against helminth parasites in Nigeria is the use of conventional anthelminthics. However, the high cost of modern anthelminthics has limited their use in rural areas, coupled with the emergence of resistant strains of pathogenic helminthes. It was against this background that the desire to search for alternative additional chemotherapeutic agents that this study was initiated; to evaluate the effects of Xylopia aethiopica (Xa) whole fruit extract on anthelminthic efficacy, haematological and biochemical parameters in guinea fowl keets experimentally infected with Ascaridia galli. One hundred guinea fowl keets were randomly assigned to five groups (I, II, III, IV and V) of 20 birds each. Each Keet in groups I, II, III, and IV was inoculated with 700 infective A. galli eggs contained in 0.4 ml normal saline, while keets in group V were uninfected and untreated. Before administration, toxicity study was conducted on the Xa fruit extract. At 3 weeks post-infection and 3 days after first detection of A. galli, keets in groups I and II were treated with 2,000 mg/litre and 4,000 mg/litre of Xa, respectively, while those in group III were treated with 1,000mg/litre of piperazine (as reference standard) for three days. The efficacy of the Xa and piperazine were determined based on percentage deparasitization (postmortem worm count). Blood samples were collected through the wing vein of three keets from each group for haematological and serum biochemical analyses. Packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (Hb)and erythrocyte count were determined by the microhaematocrit, cyanmethaemoglobin and haemocytometry methods respectively. Serum biochemical assay was carried out for Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartate transaminase (AST) and total serum albumin (ALB)on samples from all groups. The LD₅₀ of the Xaextract was above 5000 mg/kg. There was significant difference (p<0 .05=”” all=”” between=”” count=”” egg=”” gram=”” groups=”” in=”” per=”” percentage=”” post=”” span=”” the=”” treatment.=””> deparasitization observed in groups I, II and III were 25.5%, 44.4% and 100%, respectively. Increases in PCV and Hb concentration were observed post-treatment with aqueous extract of Xawhole fruit in A. galli-infected keets in groups I (38.7 ± 1.25 %) and II (38.2 ± 1.03 %) when compared to infected/untreated keets in group IV (34.3 ± 3.42 %). Decreases in serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels were also observed post-treatment of keets in A. galli-infected groups I (67.2 ± 7.12 u/l and 3.8 ± 0.37 u/l) and II (74.0 ± 9.13 u/l and 3.6 ± 0.24 u/l) when compared to the values in infected/untreated keets in group IV (81.6 ± 4.76 u/l and 4.4 ± 0.87 u/l), respectively.It was concluded that the XA whole fruit aqueous extract used in this study has a dose-dependent anthelminthic effect on A. galli in guinea fowls and was able to reduce the severity of the effect of A. galli infection on the haematological and serum biochemical parameters.The use of aqueous extract of Xylopia aethiopica whole fruits as an anthelmintic remedy especially in rural poultry is recommended.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0              INTRODUCTION

1.1              Study Background

The guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) is a common indigenous bird of the African continent. In the northern part of Nigeria, these birds are kept in most villages and are abundant in the wild.

EFFICACY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF XYLOPIA AETHIOPICA WHOLE FRUITS ON EXPERIMENTAL ASCARIDIA GALLI INFECTION IN GUINEA FOWL KEETS (NUMIDA MELEAGRIS GALEATA PALAS), A RESEARCH PROJECT TOPIC ON MICROBIOLOGY